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5-Star Prospects Matt, Ryan Bewley Agree to Contracts with Overtime Elite Pro League
May 21, 2021
Twin brothers Matt Bewley and Ryan Bewley, both 5-star prospects in the 2023 recruiting class, have reportedly signed two-year, seven-figure contracts with the new Overtime Elite professional league.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported details of the first-of-their-kind deals:
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespnThe deals for Matt and Ryan Bewley are expected to top seven-figures over the two years, sources tell ESPN. The OTE is planning a September 2021 start-up with Kevin Ollie as the head coach. Matt Bewley is the No. 3-rated prospect in ESPN's Class of 2023; Ryan is ranked 12th. https://t.co/LapOobF6uW
In March, OTE executives announced their plan to create a league for players between 16 and 18 years old who are looking for a professional option that covers their final high school years and the one-year wait period between high school and the NBA draft without having to leave the United States.
"This offering and opportunity not only gives you pro-caliber training and development in a facility that models and starts to simulate what life will be like in the NBA ... but it also provides a six-figure salary," OTE president and commissioner Aaron Ryan told Martenzie Johnson of The Undefeated.
The league is set to launch in September and will also provide players with "financial literacy, media training and social justice advocacy" instead of a traditional school curriculum.
Ryan told Johnson that OTE represented a new route for "athletes trying to hack the system to find a way to really address ... preparing themselves for a pro path and a pro career."
The success of Overtime Elite is likely dependent on the ability to land top prospects like the Bewley twins to attract attention and make the league financially viable over the long haul.
Matt (No. 2 prospect in 2023, per 247Sports) and Ryan (No. 16) had both attracted interest from high-profile Power Five college basketball programs, including Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Miami, before opting for the pro route.
The 6'9" twins played high school basketball at West Oaks Academy in Orlando, Florida. They are on path for eligibility as part of the 2024 NBA draft.